


Don't Have to Tell You

by novelllaqueen



Series: Prom and What Comes After [1]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bard - Freeform, Cussing, Fluff, M/M, Prom, Senior Thranduil, Sophomore Bilbo, Unrequited Love, but not really, tauriel - Freeform, they cuss a lot, they're teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-14
Updated: 2015-01-14
Packaged: 2018-03-07 11:07:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3172210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/novelllaqueen/pseuds/novelllaqueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I was standin'<br/>You were there..."</p>
<p> <br/>Bilbo Baggins is just a lowly sophomore in love with the most popular, attractive, and intelligent person at school, Thranduil Oropherion. Prom is coming up, and Bilbo knows there's no chance that he'll get to go with the beautiful senior, but fate has a way of sneaking up on people...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Have to Tell You

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'm really obsessed with this pairing right now hahaha. I don't own anything. I kind of got the idea for this pairing from 16 Candles, but just the relationship dynamic, not what happens within the movie. Also, the rivalry between the "dwarves" and "elves" doesn't exactly exist in this verse. It's more of a healthy competition. I'm purposely vague about where the school is.
> 
> For the sake of the fic, Thorin is a cousin to Fili, Kili, and Gimli. Legolas is Thranduil's younger brother.  
> Seniors: Thranduil (18), Tauriel (18), and Bard (19)  
> Juniors: Fili (17), Legolas (17), and Thorin (18)  
> Sophomores: Bilbo (16), Kili (16), and Ori (15)  
> Freshmen: Gimli (15)*poor Gimli*
> 
> Now, I'm sure those of you who don't go to American high school are wondering about the ages. A freshman can be anywhere from 13-15 *13 being the youngest possible, usually, and 15 with late birthdays and being held back*. I was 13 when I was a freshman, but my friend was 15 and we were in the same year. I was 15 as a sophomore, but some of my friends turned 16 that year. I was 16 as a junior, and I was 17 as a senior. I didn't turn 18 until after I graduated high school. So it's definitely possible for a junior to date a freshman without it being weird, and it's also possible for a senior to date a sophomore without it being weird. Just wanted to clarify that hahaha. 
> 
> I'm throwing in the term "bloody" here and there because it just fits their characters. I know quite a bit of my language is American *hallway..Brits would use corridor I assume?*, but just...it is what is lol.

Bilbo sat in the blue round, plastic chair which jutted out from the hall-length cafeteria table at Galen High, waiting for his company to find him in the throng of high school students. He poked at the grey mash potatoes with his disposable fork in distaste and tore off a piece of a whole grain roll to stuff into his mouth. A clatter came from his right, and Bilbo looked up to see his best friend, Kili Durin, grinning wildly and slamming into the seat beside of him. Bilbo raised a light brown eyebrow at his fellow sophomore and smiled back. "So," Kili began in earnest, "have you seen the flyers?" Bilbo glanced away and shook his head. Kili laughed and elbowed the smaller boy in the side. "You're such a filthy liar, Bilbo Baggins! I _know_ you've seen them." Bilbo huffed and scooped up a bite of peas with his spoon before answering, "Alright, so I've seen the damn things. So what?" Kili grinned and took a drink from his bottle of water. "So," he continued, "prom is coming up next weekend. Today is Thursday. You have some time, you know, to ask _him_."  Kili jerked his dark head in the direction of a group of older, beautiful high school students, seated in clump nearest to the side door with a view of the senior parking lot. "I don't know who you mean," Bilbo said as he followed Kili's line of sight to the young man sitting at the group's center. His stomach lurched uncomfortably.

Kili meant Thranduil Oropherion, proclaimed king of the school. He was tall and thin with platinum blonde hair which fell in a thick wave to dust his broad shoulders. Bilbo didn't need to look to know about his eyes which were icy, blue oceans, but he looked anyway and sighed. Just as he did, Thranduil looked up and over to their table which was on the other side of the mess hall and locked eyes with Bilbo. The younger boy blushed a flaming red and jerked around, heart beating unsteadily in his chest. Kili barked out a sharp gasp of laughter and said, "No, no, you don't know who I mean at _all_." Bilbo jabbed a sharp elbow into Kili's side and relished his wince. "Alright, Kili, what about you?" Kili slowly took a bite of roll and said through a full mouth, "What about me?" Bilbo rolled his eyes and subtly nodded back to the group of seniors. "Tauriel." Kili grimaced at the name and just shook his head. They both turned again to look at the girl in question. She was leaned across the table saying something to Thranduil. Her curly, red hair was piled atop her head, and her left hand laid on the silvery haired boy's arm. "Let's face it," Bilbo said with a sigh, "They are so far out of our league. They're the sky, and we're the sea." Kili nodded glumly. After a moment Kili said,"Yeah...we're 10,000 leagues under the sea." Bilbo rolled his eyes as Kili burst into laughter. "Your stupid puns need work."

Kili was still shaking with silent laughter when they were joined by Kili's older brother, Fili, and his older cousin, Thorin, simultaneously dropped their trays at the table. "What's so funny?" Thorin asked in his gruff voice. Bilbo rolled his eyes and pointed at Kili. "Shoulda known," Thorin mumbled as he began to eat. "So, you've all seen the flyers, right?" Fili asked. Bilbo's eyes flew from Fili to Kili with incredulity. "Are you two psychic?" The brothers ignored him, and Kili answered, "Of course, who hasn't? Why do you ask?" Fili slurped some milk out of a red straw connected to a grey cup before answering, "Well, I've made an executive decision. We're all single. We all have someone we want. Today is Thursday, by next Wednesday if we haven't gotten a date with the person we want, we escort each other." Kili and Thorin blinked at him stupidly, and Kili said, "But we're brothers and Thorin is our cousin." Fili waved his hands, "Alright, alright, we all escort Bilbo." Bilbo protested, but no one paid him any heed. "How exactly are we to get these so called 'people' to go with us to prom?" Thorin asked. Fili rolled his eyes and gave a long suffering sigh, "We grow a pair and _ask_ them." Pointing a finger at Thorin, Fili said, "You're going to ask out Bard Bowmen." Nodding at Kili, he continued, "You're going to ask out Tauriel Sylvan." Eyes landing on Bilbo, he said, "And you, my dear, are going to ask out the mighty Thranduil." Bilbo let out a slightly hysterical laugh. "You want _me_ , Bilbo Baggins lowly sophomore with hardly a penny to my name, to ask out _Thranduil Oropherion_ , wealthiest, most popular guy in the entire school, quite possibly the entire bloody world?" Kili and Thorin looked from Bilbo to the table of seniors and back again. "He's right, Fili," Thorin said, "None of us stand a chance. At all." Kili nodded in agreement. 

"Look," Fili said in exasperation," this is bloody ridiculous. If little Gimli can get up the courage to ask out his crush, then we ought to be able to do the same. For Christ's sake, he's a _freshman_." At this they all looked to the left at an oddly matched couple sitting a handful of seats down from them. A short, tanned boy with thick red hair leaned eagerly across from a tall, thin blonde boy as they talked excitedly. Their hands were clasped on top of the table. "Ugh," Thorin grumbled. Kili let out an answering grumble from his throat in return as they observed their younger cousin, Gimli, with his new boyfriend, Legolas Oropherion--younger brother of Thranduil. The lunch-bell rang, and the boys rose from the table to throw their trays and leftovers away. They crowded around the door leading into the main hallway, watching as the seniors passed. "I'm holding you to this boys, you hear?" Fili asked. The others nodded reluctantly. "We can't let ourselves be outdone by _Gimli_ , for fuck's sake." With that, Fili strode down the hallway towards his next class. Thorin clapped Kili and Bilbo on the back before striding off after the other. "We'd best form a plan," Kili murmured in Bilbo's ear, "else he'll know and throw a fit." Bilbo nodded but knew in his mind that he would never, ever in a million years ask Thranduil out, much less to _prom_. Bilbo parted from Kili and made his way to his Biology as Kili made his way to Geometry.

* * *

 By the time fourth block rolled around, Bilbo was a wreck. His last class was drama, and it happened to be the only class he shared with any upperclassmen, one of those upperclassmen being Thranduil. Bilbo walked into class and settled into his regular seat, close to the door and away from the front of the room. He tapped his fingers nervously against his desk as the other students filed into the room. He tried not to look at Thranduil but didn't succeed in the slightest. As everyone settled in, Gandalf Greyson waltzed into the room with his leather bag and set it down onto the teacher's desk up front. He looked out at the students before him and gave a mischievous grin which everyone had learned to be apprehensive about. He clasped his hands together and began, "Students, I have an exercise for you today." He rolled his eyes at the loud groan which swelled throughout the classroom. "None of that," he tutted. "Now, we have been studying the importance of facial expression and body language within the arena of drama. Today, you will each have a partner. I will give you simple facial expressions and movements that you will perform in front of them. Your partner will act as a mirror for you. This is an important technique in theater. It will further you if any of you plan to follow through with the drama business." Bilbo looked around and caught Ham Gamgee's eye, and the other boy nodded. Bilbo felt a sense of relief roll through him. The exercise wouldn't be so bad if he could do it with Hamfast. Students began to get up and choose partners. "Ah, ah, ah," Gandalf called out, his voice full of mirth, "Not so fast. _I'_ _ve_ chosen your partners." He pulled out a list and began to call off names. Bilbo felt his stomach clench and his heart pounded. _There's no way_ , he thought with a bit of panic as Gandalf called out names, _there's just no fucking way_. The panic crept in some more when the teacher paired Hamfast with some freshman from Gondor. Unpaired individuals dwindled down until there were only four left: Bilbo, a blonde girl named Eowyn, Bear from Dale, and Thranduil. _Please_ , Bilbo prayed to God fervently, _please for the love of all that is holy and just_ , _do not pair me with Thranduil_. _If you exist_ , _if you have any love for me at all do not_ \--"Eowyn, you'll be with Bear, and Mr. Oropherion, well, you'll be with Mr. Baggins." Bilbo felt rather faint. _Fuck_ , he thought, _I might pass out_. _Right now_. _I am going to fucking pass out_. _Fuck you_ , _Gandalf_. _With your twinkling eyes and smirk_. _I will rip off your grey beard and choke you with it_.

He watched as Thranduil made his way over to Bilbo's desk in the back. "Are you ready, Bilbo?" the beautiful senior asked. "You know my name?" Bilbo blurted out. Thranduil's red lips pulled apart in a smile. _Oh_ , _my God_ , he thought, _they look like glossy cherries_. _I want to_ \--"Of course I do, you're quite the best actor in the class. Your facial expressions could put Lillian Gish* to shame." Bilbo's mouth fell open and he said," _You_ really think that? _You_ know Lillian Gish?" Thranduil laughed and glanced down at Bilbo as he said,"Everyone thinks that, and yes, I know her. She's a legend." Bilbo was taken aback. It wasn't that he thought Thranduil was ignorant, but he simply hadn't considered they'd have anything in common. Thranduil continued," Legolas said that you and his cousins have a bit of a bet going." At this, Bilbo felt his heart seize. _I may be twice a murderer_ , he thought, _if Gimli has even hinted at what the bet is about and who_. Thranduil continued to look at Bilbo, and the younger just stared back. Finally, Bilbo answered," Yeah. Um, we are all supposed to, um, ask someone out for prom. Otherwise, we go together." Thranduil nodded and asked,"Are you supposed to ask anyone in particular or....?" _Fucking motherfucking goddamn Gimli_ , Bilbo thought desperately. Before Bilbo had time to answer, a short cough came out from behind, and they turned around to face Gandalf who was looking questioningly at them. "Are the two of you going to begin? Or will you continue to stare blankly into each other's eyes?" Bilbo blushed and sputtered for a few seconds. "Right," Thranduil said nervously," we were just about to start." He swept his hair up into a messy bun. "I'll lead," he said to Bilbo," You follow." Bilbo swallowed harshly and nodded. They worked in tandem for the next hour and a half. Bilbo followed Thranduil's movements and copied his expressions with great enthusiasm. When Gandalf called for an end to the exercise, Thranduil wavered at Bilbo's desk. "Um, yes?" Bilbo asked tentatively. Thranduil briefly looked down and shook his head,"Never mind, Bilbo," he mumbled, "Have a good day." He made his way back to the front of the room, gathered his things, and walked out with Eowyn. Bilbo watched them go with and felt as if a piece of his heart went with them.

* * *

 When Bilbo finally arrived at his house, Fili, Kili, and Thorin were out in his front yard kicking a football around. He smiled fondly and waved from across the street. "What're you boys doing here?" he asked. Instead of answering, Kili wrapped Bilbo in a hug and swung him around. Bilbo laughed and shouted until Kili set him down on the grass. "We are here with wonderful news!" Fili said. Bilbo made a "go on" gesture. "Thorin asked Bard out, and he said yes. Kili asked out Tauriel, and she said yes. I asked Ori, and he said yes!" Bilbo gaped at the three of them. "What!" he screeched, "we had until next week to do this. How come you all asked today?" Thorin rolled his eyes and said,"Well, Durins think alike. We all wanted to treat this like ripping off a band-aid. We thought we'd just get it over with, and do it quickly. So, we each asked our respective persons, and, well, turns out it was waaaay more pleasing than we thought." Bilbo sat down on his front porch and put his chin in his hand. "How come you didn't ask Thranduil out in drama class. You worked with him, didn't you?" Bilbo glared suspiciously at Kili. "How'd you know that?" The three boys glanced at each other before Kili answered, "Well, Thranduil told Legolas, Legolas told Gimli, and Gimli told us." Bilbo squinted even harder. "School has only been over for half an hour." "Word travels fast. Do you want some tips on what to do?" "No," Bilbo mumbled. "Well, we've got a few hours before we have to go home. Let's have some fun."

The boys played football for a few hours, stopping only when Bilbo's beautiful mother, Bella, came out with snacks and drinks for them. After his friends left, Bilbo ate dinner with his mother and answered all her questions in a demur and disinterested tone. He washed the dishes, and clambered up the steps into his small, but cozy room. Without even undressing himself, he fell down onto his twin-sized bed and curled into himself. "I'm not going to cry," he said quietly,"I'm not going to cry over a boy, even if it is Thranduil Oropherion." He repeated that mantra over and over until sleep overtook him.

* * *

 Bilbo was, of course, late to his first block. He tried to creep into Geometry, but he was caught by Mr. Saruman's watchful eye and sent to the office for a tardy. He grumbled the whole way there and paid no mind to where he was going which was probably why he ran smack dab into someone and fell back onto his ass. He looked up in abject horror. It was Thranduil. He scrambled up as Thranduil helped him. "I'm alright, sorry." Bilbo murmured. "You're late?" Thranduil inquired. Bilbo nodded. "You don't have any of your books, I see. You didn't go to your locker this morning?" Bilbo furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head slowly. Thranduil gave a nervous laugh,"Of course you haven't. You're late. Like I just said--I mean like _you_ just said." Before Bilbo could say anything else, Thranduil smoothed out some wrinkles on his jeans and said,"Well, I best be going. I've got...things..to do." He took off down the hallway as Bilbo watched in awe. 

On his way back from the office, he decided to stop at his locker and grab a pen and the book for his next class. Opening it, he was surprised to see a black cassette tape sitting on the top of all his things. He picked it up and gasped at the words written on the front side. It said,"Go to prom with me? Please-Thranduil." Bilbo gulped as he felt tears fill his eyes. Anyone could have put it in his locker; he didn't have a lock on it, but Thranduil had given himself away in the hallway earlier. "I knew he was out of my league, but I didn't know he was a bastard." Bilbo said to the empty air. It was a joke, clearly. It hurt all the more that the other boy had used a tape. Everyone knew he couldn't afford nicer things like CDs and iPods. If he didn't accept, then Thranduil could go on his way. If he accepted, he'd have to tell Thranduil to his face, and Thranduil was hardly ever without his group of friends which meant they'd all hear him. Then, Thranduil would laugh in his face, and say something about how there was no universe in which the two of them would ever go anywhere together. Everyone would laugh, and Bilbo would never be able to show his face anywhere, ever. Wiping his face, Bilbo grabbed the tape and threw it angrily in a trashcan next to the group of lockers beside his. Instead of going back into class, he ran down the hallway and out the side doors. He was too embarrassed to go back to school, especially since he had fourth block with the asshole in question, and he couldn't stand the thought of going back to his empty house. Turning off his phone, he made his way into town.

Bilbo spent a few hours walking around town glancing at shops and things he couldn't afford to buy. He finally made his way into Lothlorien, the local bookshop. It was owned by a beautiful woman named Galadriel whom Bilbo couldn't help but have a slight crush on, despite his having not noticed any woman in that way in his entire life. As he walked in, an inviting warmth washed over him. Galadriel greeted him with a mysterious smile and a cup of tea. "I had a feeling you would come here today, Bilbo Baggins." He smiled at her weakly. "I haven't exactly had the best day." She nodded and said,"Your table is open, grab a book and make yourself at home." He grabbed a random book off the fantasy section and plopped down in a plushy, red chair at his favorite spot near the window. He noticed the book in his hands. It was _Pride and Prejudice. For fuck's sake, this isn't a fantasy novel._ He turned it over in his hands and considered the main characters and the storyline.  _Or perhaps it is._ Sighing, he began to read.

* * *

The sun had gone down by the time Bilbo finished reading, and he helped Galadriel close the store before making his way home. He got close to his house and noticed a shadowy figure hunched over on his front steps. _One of the boys_ , he thought in exasperation, _I'm not in the mood tonight_. He got closer, and the figure turned. Bilbo jumped in surprise. It was Thranduil. "What are you _doing_ here?" Bilbo snapped as he brushed by the other boy and leaned against the front door. Upon closer inspection, Thranduil looked pale,and his hair was unkempt. "You threw it away," the older boy whispered. 'What?" Bilbo snapped again. Thranduil took a deep breath and repeated,"You threw away the tape I made you." Bilbo stared at him for a few minutes as Thranduil fidgeted. "I thought it was a joke." ''What?" Thranduil asked, his voice rising higher. "I thought you were making fun of me," Bilbo murmured. Thranduil looked at him like he was crazy. "Bilbo, I've liked you for ages upon ages. The tape...I thought you would enjoy it. You like vintage things. I tried to--look I don't even really know who the fuck Lillian Gish is. I asked Gimli what sort of things you like. He said you liked old films and music. He said you didn't have a CD player." He trailed off and looked at Bilbo expectantly. Bilbo couldn't feel his tongue. He'd gone absolutely numb. "What," he repeated again. Thranduil moved quickly to press Bilbo up against the door. "I want to take you to prom, Bilbo Baggins. So?" he whispered. Bilbo gulped and nodded. Thranduil smirked and pressed even closer. He leaned down until their lips were level. "I want to kiss you," Thranduil said shakily. Bilbo swallowed again and nodded. Thranduil's face softened, and he cupped Bilbo's face him his hands. He pulled Bilbo into a sweet kiss, moving his rosy colored lips against Bilbo's. Thranduil broke it off and pulled back a bit before recapturing Bilbo's lips again. He swept his tongue against the seam of Bilbo's mouth before pulling back again. He pulled Bilbo into a hug and laughed before stepping away. "I wish I'd asked you out before." Bilbo could only huff in agreement. He couldn't move. They spent a few more moments staring at each other before Bilbo suddenly said,"Do you have it? The tape, I mean. Only, it's just that, my mom--she's a nurse--she won't be home until early in the morning. Would you, um, would you like to come inside and listen to it?" Thranduil pulled out the tape from his jean's pocket and smiled. "Right," Bilbo said. He opened the door and walked unsteadily through the house and up into his room.

Thranduil followed and closed the door behind him. Bilbo's heart thumped painfully against his chest. He pointed to the far corner of the room at his old radio. Thranduil turned and made his way over to it. Putting the tape in, he said, "I have to tell you, there's only one song on here. It's the song that makes me think of you." Turning back he made his way over to the bed. "Would you like to lay down?" he asked quietly. Bilbo nodded quickly and clambered upon the bed. Thranduil held out his arms, and Bilbo folded himself into them. They laid down, and Bilbo smiled as he felt Thranduil's lips press into his hair.

The music began to play.

* * *

_Don't ask me_   
_What you know is true_   
_Don't have to tell you_   
_I love your precious heart_   
  
_I_   
_I was standing_   
_You were there_   
_Two worlds collided_   
_And they could never tear us apart_   
  
_We could live_   
_For a thousand years_   
_But if I hurt you_   
_I'd make wine from your tears_   
  
_I told you_   
_That we could fly_   
_'Cause we all have wings_   
_But some of us don't know why_   
  
_I_   
_I was standing_   
_You were there_   
_Two worlds collided_   
_And they could never ever tear us apart_

_I,I was standing_

_(Don't ask me)_   
_I was standing_   
_(You know it's true)_   
_You were there_   
_(Worlds collided)_   
_Two worlds collided_   
_(We're shining through)_   
_And they could never tear us apart_

_You, you were standing_   
_(Don't ask me)_   
_(You know it's true)_   
_I was there_   
_(Worlds collided)_   
_Two worlds collided_   
_(We're shining through)_   
_And they could never tear us apart_   
_I, I was standing_

  


 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I say this is a oneshot, but I might expand on it and make it a chapter fic because I'm so pathetic hahaha.  
> Review? Kudos? Please? :) I haven't the energy to fix any mistakes this has.
> 
> *Lillian Gish is a famous silent movie star actress. She's one of the best, and she's well-known for having the most expressive face of the silent movie era.  
> Yeah I made Saruman the math teacher. What a bastard. I hate math.  
> The song is "Never Tear Us Apart" by INXS


End file.
